The Department of Transportation is probing Delta Air Lines to ensure the airline is adequately addressing consumer needs in light of recent flight cancellations following a global technology outage last week.
“All airline passengers have the right to be treated fairly, and I will make sure that right is upheld,” stated Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg on social media. He revealed that his department had received “hundreds of complaints” regarding Delta’s response to the tech issues.
Delta, headquartered in Atlanta, has struggled to restore its operations fully after a flawed software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike affected businesses worldwide. The update caused glitches in Microsoft’s Windows operating systems, leading to widespread access issues for corporate users, some of whom experienced the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.”
The incident impacted nearly every major sector, including healthcare, delivery services, retail, and finance, with the airline industry suffering particularly severe consequences. On Friday alone, over 46,000 flights were delayed, and approximately 5,171 flights were canceled, according to FlightAware, with Delta being the most significantly affected.
Delta reported the cancellation of roughly 3,500 flights on Friday and Saturday, and according to FlightAware, the airline canceled more than 2,500 flights on Sunday and Monday, alongside another 3,441 delays. On Tuesday, 738 additional flights were either canceled or delayed.
“Canceling a flight is always a last resort, and something we don’t take lightly,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in a statement on Sunday. He apologized to all passengers affected by the disruptions, emphasizing that Delta is committed to connecting the world and understands the inconvenience caused by travel disruptions.
Bastian explained that Delta relies on a “significant number of applications” that operate on Microsoft Windows, including a tool for tracking crew members that was unable to function due to the system failure. In response, Delta has implemented a travel waiver allowing customers to change their flights at no cost, as well as providing meal vouchers, hotel accommodations, and transportation options.